TDL 2009 - Single Cask Rum - 16 years old -

Trinidad Distillers Limited (TDL)

Located in Laventille, near Port of Spain on the island of Trinidad, Trinidad Distillers Limited, commonly known as TDL, is one of the major rum-producing facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. Its history is closely linked to Angostura, the company internationally renowned for its aromatic bitters. While Angostura's origins date back to 1824, when Dr Johann Siegert created his famous formula, the development of its rum production came much later.

In the late 1940s, Angostura developed its industrial facilities in Laventille and established Trinidad Distillers Limited to operate them. The distillery gradually became a major player in Trinidad's rum industry. Today, it is a subsidiary of the Angostura group and produces rum for the company's various brands.

TDL works primarily with molasses, a by-product of sugar cane processing. The molasses is mixed with water and yeast to initiate fermentation. Angostura notably uses a yeast strain developed during the 1940s. According to the company, fermentation generally lasts between 24 and 36 hours but can be extended to 72 hours. The fermented liquid then reaches an alcohol content of approximately 8 to 8.5%.

Distillation takes place in continuously operating column stills. This method makes it possible to produce different types of spirit, from lighter to heavier styles, depending on the production settings. The alcohol strength of the resulting distillates can range from approximately 80 to 95%. This diversity provides an important foundation for Angostura's blends while also allowing the production of rums with distinct aromatic characteristics.

For its aged rums, Angostura notably uses ex-bourbon barrels made from American white oak. Maturation in a tropical climate encourages interaction between the rum, the wood and the warehouse environment. Over time, these processes gradually transform the spirit's texture, aromas and structure. Rums intended for the company's official blends are then selected and combined to achieve the desired profiles.

Beyond the brands marketed by Angostura, certain TDL casks have become particularly sought after among independent bottling enthusiasts. They can reveal profiles very different from those found in the official blends, including intensely fruity expressions, sometimes marked by peach, tropical fruits, mint or spicy nuances. These characteristics are not universal, however, and vary according to the distillate and the cask.

TDL therefore occupies a distinctive position in the world of rum: a historic industrial distillery capable of producing different styles of spirit, some of whose mature casks offer particularly unusual aromatic expressions when bottled individually.

The Whisky Jury, Independent Bottler

Founded in 2019 in Mechelen, Belgium, by Joeri Van Den Broeck, The Whisky Jury is an independent bottler specialising in the selection of distinctive casks of whisky and other spirits. The company's name plays on the phonetic similarity between its founder's first name, Joeri, and the English word "Jury". It also reflects a simple idea: every enthusiast is ultimately the only judge of what they enjoy in their glass.

A whisky enthusiast for many years before establishing his business, Joeri Van Den Broeck decided to take the plunge despite the challenges of the cask market. Finding interesting spirits, obtaining samples and gaining access to older stocks require time, patience and extensive research. The Whisky Jury's first selection, a Ben Nevis distilled in 1995 and matured for almost 24 years, was released in 2019. This inaugural bottling, drawn from a refill hogshead, produced 245 individually hand-numbered bottles.

The Whisky Jury's philosophy is built around particularly demanding cask selection. Joeri Van Den Broeck explains that he asks himself one essential question before choosing a cask: would he buy a bottle of this spirit himself? If the answer is no, the cask is rejected. This approach places drinking pleasure and the intrinsic quality of the spirit ahead of the prestige of a name or the pressure to release new bottlings.

Scotch whisky was the starting point of the venture, with selections from distilleries in the Highlands, Speyside and Islay, among other regions. However, The Whisky Jury soon developed an interest in other categories, particularly rum. Bottlings of Cognac, Calvados and mezcal have also joined the portfolio. This diversity reflects a desire to discover distinctive spirits without being restricted to a particular region or production method.

The releases frequently take the form of single casks, offered in limited quantities. The company pays particular attention to the expression of the spirit and the influence of maturation. Some casks reveal the personality of a distillery through several decades of ageing, while others provide an opportunity to explore younger profiles or lesser-known styles. The distillery's name alone is never a guarantee: it is above all the quality of the sample that guides the final decision.

The Whisky Jury's visual identity is also part of its story. Its founder wanted to capture that particular moment when a whisky enthusiast holds a beautiful whisky up to the light before tasting it. The label illustration began with a personal sketch, later developed by an illustrator. From the very first release, bottles were individually numbered, reinforcing the limited nature of each selection.

The development of The Whisky Jury has relied on a network of specialist retailers and partners who share an interest in independent bottlings. Joeri Van Den Broeck has repeatedly expressed his desire not to pursue rapid growth at the expense of quality. Every new selection must offer enough interest to deserve its place in the collection.

With The Whisky Jury, independent bottling is above all a matter of curiosity, tasting and patience. From Scottish single malts to mature rums from Trinidad, Jamaica or Guyana, each release offers a particular interpretation of a spirit and its maturation. An approach in which the cask must convince through what it contains, regardless of the reputation of its origin.